Whereas the changing climate conditions are creating prolonged water restrictions that impact businesses, limit or stop food production and create other issues for many communities; And whereas licencing for community drinking water systems may take the Province of British Columbia over two years to approve, even when a state of local emergency is in effect for the applicant: Therefore be it resolved that UBCM advocate to the provincial government to: 1. Substantially increase the resources allocated for the processing of water licence applications; and 2. Prioritize water licence applications to give urgency based on health and safety, particularly in light of the current climate conditions.
Ministry of Water, Land and Resource Stewardship The Province is committed to continued improvement on British Columbias water authorization processing timelines. The Ministry of Forests and the Ministry of Water, Land and Resource Stewardship have worked closely on strategic and operational water management priorities through multiple initiatives. While maintaining a high level of environmental stewardship in a changing climate, the Province has restructured ministries, implemented strategic initiatives and established policies to improve the processing timelines on water authorizations. In October 2028, all water management functions, including water licensing, were transferred to the Ministry of Water, Land and Resource Stewardship. As part of the Ministrys focus on permitting transformation, water licences are predominantly featured in this work. The Province continues to improve water management in British Columbia with the regulation of groundwater and the introduction of new tools for modern watershed planning and environmental protection. In recent years, British Columbia has seen unprecedented climate-related challenges including flood, drought and fire. The Province will review the response and feedback to incorporate learnings and new approaches to better respond to future challenges. The Province remains committed to implementing the Water Sustainability Act to ensure healthy watersheds and continue working with Indigenous Nations, local governments and groups of interest.